Page 6 of Savage Start

“It’s not that bad. I get to travel all over the world when I’m with Dad because of his work. And Mom buys me all kinds of stuff because of the guilt over them splitting up.” I preferred to embellish the traveling to come across as worldly. No one, least of all me, wanted to confide in them about what was real—the dumps, trailer parks, and grabby-boyfriend cons. While I liked my life, no one in this town would understand it, and pity wasn’t something I would welcome. Plus, they wouldn’t share the dirt I needed if they knew the truth about me.

They chatted about various vacations they either planned to take or had already taken. I mostly listened because that was my game—collect information about who lives where, who dates whom—but mostly, I wanted to know more about Cole, and I was listening hard for details about him. Not because I thought Mom and I would be around long enough for me to see him again, but because I liked collecting fantasies and making up stories about people. In the next town, I would use him as my long-distance boyfriend. That was a fantasy I could get on board with. I almost couldn’t wait to move.

CHAPTER SIX

COLE

“The whole town knows you cheat on Mom. It’s humiliating for her. She’s suffering. It’s your fucking fault.” I stood opposite Dad in his study, his large mahogany desk between us, the only thing standing in the way of me punching his arrogant face. We’d been arguing for the last ten minutes, and the self-righteous prick wasn’t budging.

“You’re talking about something you know nothing about.” Not an ounce of emotion showed on his face.

He kept lying to cover his ass. I couldn’t believe him. Last night had been a trainwreck. “I had to come home from Phoenix and Shane’s party because Mom was so upset. She’s your wife, and you don’t care about her.”

Damon strolled in, leaning his shoulder against the door jamb. “You’re still going on about that?” He snorted. “That was your choice to come home, Cole. Aunt Cece was here, and Mom knew Dad had a client dinner.”

“Which is what I’ve been trying to tell you, Cole.” Dad’s deep, weary voice interrupted. “I have a company to run. Your mom knows that.”

“And if Mom would take her meds consistently, things would be fine.” Damon defended Dad again.

Fuck that. I whirled, turning my back on Dad, red painting my vision as I snapped at my brother. “I’m aware the company doesn’t run itself. That doesn’t excuse him from ignoring his wife and what his stepping out on her is doing to her mental state.”

Damon opened his mouth to retort, but I was on him, fisting his shirt in my hand. “Don’t say a fucking word. Open your goddamned eyes to how Dad refuses to make time for her, to help her.”

Fire sparked in Damon’s dark gaze, but he pressed his lips together.Wise move, asshole.I shoved past him, knocking his shoulder on my way out.

“Mom’s on her way down.”

I caught Damon’s subdued parting words as I stormed down the hallway toward the kitchen. I was tired of him being on Dad’s side. It only caused problems between us. I wrenched open the fridge and pulled out a beer. The chill from the glass bottle seeped into my hand as I twisted off the cap and tossed it onto the island then downed half before I heard a scuff on the wood floor behind me.

Deep breath in. I released it and turned with a grin on my face that felt tight, forced. Mom stood at the island’s opposite end, fidgeting with her bracelet. The stiffness in my shoulders relaxed. She was downstairs and dressed, something that hadn’t happened in the last week.

“Hi, Mom. You look great.”

Her eyes were puffy and swollen from crying, but everything else was an improvement. Dad chose that moment to join us, followed by Damon.

“I’m so glad you’re home, Lucas.” She greeted Dad with a smile, the rest of us forgotten. “I thought we could all go to dinner tonight as a family.”

Dad sidestepped me, briefly giving Mom his attention. “I have work to do, but you should take the boys.”

“Oh, okay.” Her smile remained, but now it was strained. “What do you guys think?”

“Dinner sounds great.” I held Damon’s gaze, conveying how much I would enjoy kicking his ass if he didn’t say something positive.

“Sure, Mom.”

I still wanted to beat his ass, even though he’d agreed.

* * *

Idrove the three of us home from the Italian restaurant Mom had chosen. While she chatted with us from the passenger seat, Damon was in the back, absorbed in his phone.

“I’m glad we went out. We should do this more often. Maybe twice a month?” I smiled at her before returning my focus to the road.

“I would love that.” She squeezed my shoulder before dropping her hand back to her lap. “You boys are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Cece and I say that all the time about our boys and how lucky it is that you four are so close. And your dad couldn’t be prouder of the two of you.”

I clenched my teeth, calling “bullshit” in my head. She lived in a fantasy world when she was happy, but there was no way that Damon or I would wreck that. I caught his eye-roll in the rearview mirror. Even he didn’t believe that one about Dad. “I love you, Mom. We need to get out more often, the three of us.”

“I love you too, honey.” She squeezed my arm. “Both of you.”

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